Quebec Apple Dumplings

To quote Mme. Benoit,"In Quebec these were baked in deep brown earthenware pudding dishes and served on a hot wooden board or tray surrounded by autumn leaves or boughs cut from the Christmas tree. It was a traditional in our family to serve these dumplings after we had finished decorating the Christmas tree." Posted for Zaar World Tour II.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2  sheets  pie dough (double batch)
• 1⁄4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 12  apples, medium, peeled & cored
• 1⁄2 cup  mincemeat
• 1⁄4 cup rum
•  butter
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  cream
• 1⁄2 lemon, zest of

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Make enough pie enough to roll into 12 6"x6" squares (about a double batch.).
3. Sprinkle each square with 1 tsp grated cheddar. Peel and core apples and place one on each square. Fill the centre of each apple with 2 tsp (or 1 heaping tsp) of mincement, 1 tsp of rum, a dot of butter and 1 Tablespoon sugar.
4. Bring diagonally opposite corners of dough over the apple to form ears at the top. Cover the 'ears' with aluminium foil.
5. Mix the brown sugar, cream and grated lemon rind. Brush the dumplings with this mixture and bake 35 to 45 minutes in 400F oven.
6. Remove foil, brush ears with cream mixture and return to oven till 'ears' are brown. Serve warm with plain or sweetened cream, flavoured with rum.